What’s a Syndet bar? What’s in a soap bar?

Being a soap maker and artisan. We get asked a lot of questions about soap. What’s in soap, is natural Soap bad? What’s a Syndet bar? What’s in a Syndet bar?

We thought a brief explanation of soap and what it does might help to answer many of the questions we get asked. Soap is made by mixing an alkali (lye / caustic) with oil or fat in a process called saponification. This is a chemical reaction… the triglyceride oils / fats are hydrolyzed into free fatty acids, these then combine with the alkali to form crude soap, this is a mix of various soap salts, excess fat or alkali, water, and liberated glycerol (glycerin) as this is broken off from the triglyceride during the reaction process.

The glycerin is a useful by-product from soap production, which can be left in the soap to act as a softening agent, utilizing the high Glycerin content for additional processing and performance benefits. The fats or oils can range, so long as you have the correct ratio of hard to soft that enables the soap bar to physically form and set. This ratio can then be adjusted to give you a bar that lasts longer and doesn’t lather, or foams higher and dissolves quicker. We excel at adjusting and manipulating these ratios, creating specialty soaps. We can use a vast array of oils in our soap, however most suppliers will use a standard range of oils like:

VEGETABLE OILS

• Palm Oil
• Palm Kernel Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil

WHAT IS A SYNDET BAR 

The word “syndet” is derived from “synthetic” combined with “detergent”. Technically it refers to the binding that occurs between different detergents, also called surfactants or tensioactive agents. These detergents, which have an affinity for oils and repel water, surround dirt with small structures that are then removed by water. From a technical viewpoint, syndets admit the possibility of using additives (colorants and fragrances) that are not suitable for soaps due to the high pH environment.

SOAP VS. SYNDET

Syndets are recommended for cleansing sensitive skin and even baby skin, as they are far more gentle and skin-friendly than traditional soaps. But remember that the anionic surfactants contained in syndets may cause sensitization problems in reactive skins. Syndets might prove to be a source of irritation for a segment of the population. They also seem less likely to cleanse like traditional soap.

Syndet bars are made using blends of synthetic surfactants, they are a different product, formulation and chemistry to that of traditional soap. Syndet soap surfactants are derived from oils, fats, or petroleum products that are processed in a wide range of chemical processes other than traditional saponification.

These synthetic surfactants make syndet bars mild cleansing bars, often pH neutral these soap bases produce cleansing and mild soap bars. The most famous and in fact the first syndet soap bar was Dove® – launched in 1955.

Common ingredients in syndet bars

• Sodium cocoyl isethionate (the most widely used)
• Sulfosuccinates
• Alpha olefin sulfonates
• Alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate
• Sodium cocoyl monoglyceride sulfate
• Betaines

There are pros and cons for both types of soap, we can guide you as to what type of soap would work best dependent on the circumstance you need to use it for. Please reach out to us if you have questions by email at info@ahvidesigns.com or just give us a call.

December 1, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: Dry Skin, Ingredients, Sensitive Skin, SoapTags: acne, dark spots, fresh looking skin, Handmade Soap, health, Hyperpigmentation, Organic Soap, Sensitive Skin, Soap 1 Comment

Handmade Soap vs Store Bought Soap; what’s the big deal?

Did you know there was a difference between store bought soap and handmade soap? Well you bet there is and this article will explain!

 

Handmade organic soap.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE AMONG HAND-CRAFTED AND MACHINE MADE SOAP?

With well-known store sold soaps, corporations are spending thousands and thousands each year on misleading advertising and marketing, it’s understandable why a client may be confused. Traditional store bought or “industrial” soaps that may be categorized as “herbal” are virtually detergents that consist of chemical hardeners, foaming agents and synthetic fragrances.

Unlike the phrase “natural” or “Organic” which is regulated via the USDA, the phrase “natural” no longer comes with a hard and fast requirement or restrictive elements to it. As customers, we’re required to understand what we put in and on our bodies and the best way to do this is by way of studying the labels and asking questions.

And it’s no longer only well-known store-bought soaps that can be deceptive. Artificial fragrances are being put in a huge amount of handmade soaps so make no mistake, you need to ask questions. A fantastic way to recognize you are buying the real deal is to ask what approach the soap maker makes use of to make their soap, what elements they use and what they use to fragrance their soaps.

 #1: hand-crafted soap incorporates Glycerin.

Glycerin is a natural skin emollient (pores and skin softener) that draws water from the encircling air. Because of this, glycerin is prized in soaps, lotions and creams for preserving moisture in the skin for the duration of the day. Animal fats and vegetable oils contain among 7-thirteen% of glycerin as a part of their herbal chemical makeup.

Common shop-sold soaps have had all the glycerin removed and located into extra products along with lotions and creams. The motive is as an alternative of buying one product so as to clean AND moisturize, (including handmade soap) a client now has to shop for two products to serve the equal motive, thus, an increase in income for the company.

#2: actual homemade soap does not use “perfume”

The FDA does not require the ingredients used to develop an agency’s trademark “perfume” to be disclosed on the label. Because of this your “clean rain” or “cherry blossom” scented soap could comprise masses of harmful chemical substances without disclaimer. You would never know the soap is  blended with filler substances and chemical substances inclusive of Sodium Isethionate (a foam enhancer) and Dipropylene  Glycol (a chemical solvent…why it’s wanted…who is aware of) and then shaped into molds.

#3: hand-crafted soap is definitely super for your pores and skin!

Handmade   soap preserves the integrity of the oils/fats/butters. Coconut oil is going in, saponified (made into cleaning soap) coconut oil comes out. Shea butter goes in, shea butter comes out. Because of this, the oils/fat/butters hold their vitamins, minerals and pores and skin-loving features in the very last cleaning soap product.

A professional soap maker can modify their recipe to provide traits inside the soap clearly as opposed to adding chemicals to gain the equal goal. To make a more difficult bar of soap, add more tallow or olive oil. To make a thick-lathering soap, add some honey. Store-sold soap most likely has additions of artificial chemical substances to provide similar results and we feel, it really isn’t always needed.

But why take our word for it? The best way to find out is to try it for yourself. Check out our website at www.AhViDesigns.com, choose from over 600 varieties of soap. I will assure you, it will be well worth it.

 

 

 

October 4, 2016October 4, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: UncategorizedTags: acne, beauty, fresh looking skin, health, Organic Soap, skin care, Soap Leave a comment

Our Ingredients – JoJoba Oil

    Jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba oil) Surprisingly Jojoba oil is one of the few oils that is almost identical to our body’s natural oil, sebum. It comes from a shrub found throughout the southwestern states of the United States. In its pure form it is a golden-colored wax which has a multitude of beauty related benefits.

Jojoba oil is an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and it is non-toxic. This is great for individuals like myself who have sensitive skin and who like myself have suffered from various skin conditions. Jojoba reduces swelling and it eliminates skin bacteria. It is great at helping to heal various skin conditions, such as, eczema, psoriasis and other bacterial infections.

It’s packed full of B-Complex vitamins, vitamin E, zinc, iodine, copper, selenium and chromium. When used on the skin, it’s effective enough to subdue an oily complexion but is also hypo-allergenic on sensitive skin.

Jojoba oil can be used as a daily facial cleanser, Moisturizer, and body lotion. It has anti-microbial properties that can help fight acne and hinder the growth of whiteheads, blackheads and breakouts. As for scars it works wonders and helps reduce the scar appearance with its vitamin-E rich formula. It’s also been found to promote the healing of wounds and hinder their transformation into visible scars.

As you can see there are a plethora of reasons why we chose to use this wax in our all organic 100% Natural products. AhVi Fluer aims to provide the highest quality organic ingredients in our products at the best possible price to promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

Be sure to pick up any of our lotions, face creams, or face cleansers this way you can see the benefits for yourself.

April 20, 2016April 20, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: UncategorizedTags: acne, beauty, Creams, eczema, fresh looking skin, health, healthy, Lotions, psoriasis, scrubs, skin, skin care 1 Comment

Inspiration:

Being the only woman Co-Founder of AhVi Fluer my Husband asked me to write a post talking about my inspiration and why I wanted to resurrect my Grandmother’s beauty recipes. So here I am sharing my Inspiration which really is not that exciting, so I thought.

So what inspired me the most? Let me start by saying my husband had very dry skin with un-even tones throughout his complexion. I remembered this recipe that my grandmother used to make for that type of skin.  Also I knew my husband suffered from eczema and would easily breakout if I didn’t use the right ingredients.

I rolled up my sleeves and I went to work, I did some research and along with my grandmother’s lost recipe I came up with my own formula to soften and balance his skin tones. After about 2 to 3 weeks of using my organic recipe on his face, I noticed his skin complexion changed tremendously from when I first met him.

By using rice water and coconut oil I knew this would help and give him healthy, refreshed looking skin. Because of his sensitive and uneven skin tones I knew through research and my grandmother that Aloe Vera in combination with some other ingredients used as a face wash would help reduce irritation, soften and balance his skin tonality. Now, he can go a few days without using my products and still has soft, non-flakey skin.

As for me I grew up having a combination of bad acne and oily skin. I tried so many products out there and none of them seemed to work for my skin type. It seemed that all the products out there had so many chemicals and fragrances with no benefit at all, and worst yet it made my skin problem even worst.

I was encouraged by my husband’s results so I took on the challenge and came up with a product that worked for my skin type. One of our product lines is called the Rice line derived of course from rice. This face wash with rice and safflower oil as its primary ingredients helped calm my acne repair my dead cells and balance my pores to help keep them from producing too much oil.

I have been using this face wash for 4 weeks now and my skin has begun to clear up looking more light, healthy and radiant than ever before.  Organic ingredients have been the solution to younger healthier more youthful looking skin. Everything I use in our products is 100% natural handmade and pure organic, that’s why you will always see only a handful of ingredients on our labels.

Thank you for all the people that gave us a warm welcome and liked us on Facebook.  I wanted to share my experience and story of inspiration, I’m sure there are many women out there who would love to have  healthy, glowing, younger looking skin and I know AhVi Fluer products will give you the benefit to a new you.

I welcome all your comments, and please stay tuned we will be announcing our product line this week on Facebook.

April 5, 2016April 13, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: UncategorizedTags: acne, beauty, Creams, eczema, fresh looking skin, health, healthy, skin, skin care 1 Comment

The Secret to Amazing Looking Legs – Safflower Oil

If you do not understand what a Pentapeptide from antioxidant is and, frankly, you do not care — you only need your gator-dry legs to be soft and silky-smooth — look no farther than your kitchen cabinets. The solution lies in this bottle of safflower oil sitting on the shelf. This unsaturated oil, beloved by cardiologists for being sensible for your heart, is simply nearly as good for your skin, however from the skin in.

The oil that is pressed from the seeds of yellow safflowers could be a super moisturizer. “That’s as a result of it’s extremely high linoleic acid, a carboxylic acid that skin commonly makes to keep its moisture and barrier function intact, ” says NY City dermatologist  Amy Wechsler, MD. As a result of the body’s polyunsaturated fatty acid production gets sluggish with age, it helps to switch it from the skin.

“In theory, you may use olive oil, too, which is also high in linoleic acid. But you’d smell like a salad!” Wechsler says. At the side of being odorless, safflower oil has the benefits of being colorless and low cost. And that is not all. Safe enough for sensitive skin, it is so light that it’s massaged into the skin of newborn babies at some hospitals.

Although this natural oil is one among Wechsler’s favorite treatments for dry lower legs (where flakiness is particularly persistent), you’ll be able to use it body-wide — although not when you are in a rush, because it takes time to soak in. “Smooth it on in real time after a shower  to lock in the wetness your skin has simply absorbed. You’ll be able to even apply it on your face, as long you do not get it into your eyes.”

If you are not positive concerning moisturizing with pure vegetable oil, you’ll be able to find safflower oil in moisturizers, lip balms, and scrubs. “Look for a product that lists it among the primary 3 ingredients, which suggests it contains a high concentration of the oil,” says Dr. Wechsler.

Otherwise, simply pour some safflower oil into a little squeeze bottle and add it to your toiletries. Your legs will look amazing and will thank you for it!

April 4, 2016April 13, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: UncategorizedTags: acne, beauty, Creams, eczema, fresh looking skin, health, healthy, scrubs, skin, skin care 3 Comments

Our Ingredients

Our Ingredients – Coconut Oil

A lot of individuals have perpetually asked my wife’s grandma about a number of the ingredients in her lotions, creams, and scrubs. I wished to write a mini series of posts discussing a number of these primary all natural ingredients that we use in our 100 percent organic products

Coconut Oil is well known within the skincare trade for its helpful ability to keep up healthy skin. It is one of the most important ingredients that my wife’s grandmother (God rest her soul), used in a majority of her products.

The oil is rich in triglycerides and when it is applied on the skin, it tends to keep it smooth to the touch. Due to the presence of these fats, coconut oil also retains the moisture content of the skin, as the fats eliminate moisture loss through the pores on skin.

Popularized for its anti-aging properties, coconut oil is rich in many proteins. These proteins keep skin healthy and rejuvenated, both internally and externally and also contribute to cellular health and tissue repair.

Most of us use several creams and lotions for softening our skin, especially the skin of the face and hands. Coconut oil is a great skin softener and helps you do away with dry and hard skin conditions.

It is said that coconut oil is good for several skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Several studies have reported this benefit. However, scientific research is ongoing in order to prove or disprove these theories.

Much of the research that is there speaks to its protein content, since the replacement of sick or dying cells that can occur with various skin disorders, are quickly replaced by new, healthy cells. In this way, coconut oil not only treats the infection by battling the microbial bodies, they also heal the damage or the visible marks of that skin disorder; it is a two-in-one solution!

Coconut oil is additionally smart for hardened and cracked feet, which can happen attributable to excessive cold or strenuous work. The cracks in your feet won’t vanish, however your feet can become softer in days if you apply oil to the affected area.

Used as an exfoliate: combining coconut oil as an agent with different exfoliating or granular materials like salts and sugars will immensely improve the results. You may with success scrape off excess dead skin and clean out blocked pores while leaving the skin feeling clean and non – irritated. The natural soothing nature of the oil combines with the granular, exfoliating material to remove dead cells and will leave your skin with a good color, closed pores, and a soft texture.

In summation coconut oil is an important ingredient in our product from the time of our grandmother, thanks to its wondrous properties. I look forward to writing several more of these mini posts regarding our organic ingredients there benefits and why we use them.

Once you get an opportunity please leave ME a comment let me know if you liked this post and if it had been useful.  Please like us on Facebook and take a look at my wife’s scrumptious scrubs and face creams that will leave you feeling like a new you.

April 2, 2016April 13, 2016 by AhVi Fluer Skincare & Soap Co. Categories: UncategorizedTags: acne, beauty, Creams, dark spots, eczema, fresh looking skin, health, healthy, Lotions, psoriasis, scrubs, skin, skin care 4 Comments